Villa Fiorentino Sorrento sede della Fondazione Sorrento

The portals of v.Padre Reginaldo Giuliani

The old Sorrento street was in the past the core of the intense society life of the local noblemen and the heart of suggestive events.Correspondent to an ancient cardo of Roman time (this was the name which in the past was given to the streets going from north to south and crossing almost orthogonally the so-called “decumani”), Via Padre Reginaldo Giuliani, today, draws the attention of visitors for the colours of the so many shops which make it dynamic and lively.Also this street, nevertheless – as well as Via San Cesareo – had in the past a particular prestige because entirely inhabited by the noblest and wealthiest families in Sorrento Coast.In particular, at numbers 16 (ex Palace Fasulo) and 24 (Palace Mastrogiuduce – Sersale), as well as at number 23 (Palace Mastrogiudice) we can admire portals of viceregal and/or baroque time from which we can enter halls (not all of which open to the public) and, in some cases, courtyards that gave hospitality to the best- known local patricians.In some cases, unfortunately, their remarkable architectural features would deserve a better care and fundamental renovation works.Yet – especially if we consider the closeness to the ancient seat Sedil Dominova and to the deconsecrated Church of San Giovanni a Dominova which in the 18th century housed also the prestigious though small Sorrento commendam of Knights of the Order of Malta - it is not difficult to imagine the splendor of what is today a cheerful and suggestive lane. Nevertheless some of the palaces rising along this street have for centuries charmed the collective imagination not only because inhabited by wealthy families, but also because involved in ancient and mysterious events.In the case of Palace Mastrogiudice –at the end of the Nineteenth century it was said to be inhabited by a very beautiful girl, named Cornelia, belonging to Family Maramaldo. This girl (coming from Amalfi Coast), after wishing to learn magical arts, ended up to get married with the young Paolo Mastrogiudice (the owner of the palace itself).Though descendant from a noble house, nevertheless, the boy –before his wedding – crossed a period of absolute poverty he could overcome only thanks to his wife’s conspicuous fortune.The people, who knew Cornelia’s tendency to magical rituals, in order to justify the changed financial fortunes of the Mastrogiudices, instead of attributing them to her wealth, preferred imagining her as a fairy able to bring the good wherever she went.